In a world where we can look up at the stars and envision how the glow may signify a deeper meaning of communication would be just the beginning. Is there something greater than ourselves waiting to be found? Extraterrestrial life seems like a possibility as a cryptic message and the urgency to build a machine creates a pathway for a life-changing experience for five individuals. Carl Sagan embraces so many ideas that make reading this book challenging and yet fascinating at the same time. This was a heavy read since it involved a lot of technical scientific terms which I am not familiar with, but the story itself was incredibly meaningful and can be interpreted in various ways. I also liked the subtle romantic interlude and the parental bonding with Ellie and her father, which added the right emotion to how certain scenes of looking into the atmosphere reflected a similar human feeling that guides our basic needs for safety, belonging and unconditional love. When you step out of the intellectual realm of science and mathematics, it feels like we are transported from the Machine that is built, and as humans, we can bring forth an even closer look at ourselves and see so much more in others. There’s a quest for answers to life’s many complex questions that known evidence may still not fully explain as an absolute on other levels of consciousness. Our deepest thoughts and feelings orbiting in unknown territory is probably the scariest discovery of all and is the best way that collectively as a society, we can make the most profound contact.